A09402:409
A discourse of the damned art of witchcraft so far forth as it is…A discourse of the damned art of witchcraft so farre forth as it is…
A discourse of the damned art of witchcraft so far forth as it is revealed in the Scriptures, and manifest by true experience. Framed and delivered by M. William Perkins, in his ordinary course of preaching, and now published by Tho. Pickering Bachelor of Divinity, and minister of Finchingfield in Essex. Whereunto is adjoined a twofold table; one of the order and heads of the treatise; another of the texts of Scripture explained, or vindicated from the corrupt interpretation of the adversary.A discourse of the damned art of witchcraft so farre forth as it is reuealed in the Scriptures, and manifest by true experience. Framed and deliuered by M. William Perkins, in his ordinarie course of preaching, and now published by Tho. Pickering Batchelour of Diuinitie, and minister of Finchingfield in Essex. Whereunto is adioyned a twofold table; one of the order and heades of the treatise; another of the texts of Scripture explaned, or vindicated from the corrupt interpretation of the aduersarie.
Cambridge: printed by Cantrell Legge, 1610Cambridge: printed by Cantrel Legge, 1610
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Ans. That place of Scripture is diversly expounded. Some by children there mentioned, understand the Apostles, who were Jews borne, and had received from Christ this gift & power to cast out devils. Which if it be so, it maketh not for them, because they had it extraordinarily. But I rather think, that by children, are meant the Exorcising Jews, before Christs time, who did cast out devils among them, pretending an ability to do this work in the name of God; whereas in truth, they were all flat Sorcerers, and did it by virtue of a league & compact made with the Devil. Which practise hath been of long continuance, and is at this day common and usual among the Popish sort. And that there were such Exorcists among the Jews, it is evident. For such were those Vagabonds which came to Ephesus, and took upon them to cast out devils by the name of Jesus, and Paul, Act. 19. 13. but the man in whom the evil spirit was, (so soon as ⟨p. 236⟩they […] adjured the spirit) ran upon them, and mightily prevailed against them, v. 16. Now if they had done this great work by the power of God (as they pretended) the holy Ghost would not have called them Exorcists and Vagabonds • neither could the evil spirit possibly have overcome them, as he did. Again, in the histories of the Jews are recorded many practises of stitch as exercised this power among them. Raphael the angel telleth Tobias, that a perfume made of the heart and liver of a fish, will help a man vexed with an evil spirit, Tob. 6. 7. which counsel is fla• Magic, for there is no such virtue in the liver of a fish. And in other histories we read• that one Bliaz•r a Jew, by the smell of a certain root put to the nose of a man possessed with a devil,1 caused the devil to come out of his nostrils; and forsake him; which thing was done in public place before Vespasian and others. This also was effected by mere conjuration. For what virtue can there be in any root or herb in the world, a •aileable to command and enforce Satan ⟨p. 237⟩